Burst water pipe closes Norton Simon Museum; no art damaged

Norton Simon Museum

Norton Simon Museum

The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.

The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. (Norton Simon Museum)

Christopher Knight, Times Art Critic

A burst water pipe in a women's restroom flooded portions of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena Monday morning, leading officials to close the museum for the day for repairs. According to spokeswoman Leslie Denk, no damage occurred to any art in the galleries or in storage.

"Everything is fine in all the public spaces and art collections," Denk said. The Norton Simon Museum houses one of the nation's finest collections, specializing in Old Master, Modern and Southeast Asian art.

The restroom flooding leaked through a floor into downstairs offices, primarily those where accounting is handled, Denk said. Plumbing crews are at the museum and work is expected to be completed Monday. The museum is regularly closed on Tuesdays. Officials expect to reopen Wednesday as scheduled.

Visitors to the museum's website are greeted with an announcement about the unexpected closure. Those arriving at the museum are being notified of the closure before parking, Denk said.